Heavy in your arms
by nayru9572
Summary: She had lost the man she cared most about. He had been he only one there for her back then, and she'd never forget him. But she had to move on, to preserve the life he saved. And that included that she shouldn't dwell on a lost love. NOT a one shot!
1. Feather 1

_I was a heavy heart to carry_

_My beloved was weighed down_

_My arms around his neck_

_My fingers laced to crown_

_I was a heavy heart to carry_

_But he never let me down_

_And when he had me in his arms_

_My feet never touched the ground_

**By Florence and The Machine, Heavy in your arms.**

* * *

_'Are you alright? You're crying.' 'Of course I'm crying. Because of me you're carrying such a heavy weight…' 'C'mon, you're not that heavy.' 'You know what I mean, Peter.' Peter sighed at how easily his little joke had been dismissed. But it was true. The weight he felt pushing him down increased every second. He was already out of breath. He walked further, carrying his beloved through the river, but his legs couldn't hold on anymore._

_ 'Peter! Are you alright?' Peter looked up into the sky blue eyes that were looking at him worriedly. Her eyes started tearing as she apologized. 'I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. Because of me you're like this…' 'Stop apologizing, it's just that my legs gave in for a second, nothing serious.'_

_ 'Peter I beg of you; let me go.' '… What?' 'I'm very grateful that you've even done this much for me, but I don't want you to suffer like this! Just leave me behind and run! He's not after you, so you'll be alright!' 'Never.' 'Peter now's not the time to be stubborn…' 'I'm not being stubborn! I'm not doing this on a whim! I promised I'd keep you safe, and I will keep my promise!' 'Peter, you've already done so much for me, I'm happy to have been with you for all this time, but I can't bear to see you hurt yourself for me, please.'_

_ '… Is that a request?' 'Yes.' 'Then no. I'll be selfish for once.' 'Peter…' 'I care more about you than I care about myself, and I would never forgive myself if I just left you behind. So please, let me do this.' Peter smiled, and his beloved couldn't help but smile too. She wrapped her arms around his neck and whispered a 'thank you' in his ear. 'You're welcome.'_

_ 'Are you alright?' Peter noticed his beloved had asked that question a lot of times already. 'No… but no need to worry. We've almost reached the forest, and I'm sure he won't be able to find us there.' He could feel the arms wrapped around his neck tighten, and the woman he was carrying was fighting back the tears. 'I'm sorry, it must hurt. But I'm sure we'll find a way to heal you, or at least slow down whatever's weakening you.'_

_ Just as he said this, a black feather flew towards Peter, stabbing him in his leg. 'Aaargh!' He fell down. 'Peter!' He could feel her hands touch him, and it only motivated him more to protect her. 'I'm sorry. I don't like doing this, but I have to.' A voice said. 'Damnit, he caught up to us.' Peter looked up, angry at the man that was landing in front of him. If it wasn't for the black color, you'd almost think his wings were those of an angel. But he was definitely not one. A real angel would never try to break him and his beloved apart._

_ 'Leave her alone.' The man with black wings looked at Peter, but he wasn't even considering his threat. 'I really wish I could, but that's no option.' 'Why are you doing this!? She has done nothing wrong!' 'Right back at you. Why are you protecting her like this? It's not like she has much time left anyways. It would be best if I just sealed her now and she wouldn't have to suffer.' 'I'll cure her! I'm sure if I try hard enough, she'll be fine!' The angel smirked, but his eyes weren't smiling. 'Are you even listening to yourself? There is no way to save her. The only choice she has is how to disappear.' 'You're lying!' 'Say what you like, but don't stand in my way.'_

_ Peter was just about to protest, but he felt a soft touch on his arm. He turned around and saw his beloved sitting behind him, crying. 'You're hurt.' He understood she meant the wound on his leg. 'Don't worry about it; it's just a small wound. It'll heal before you even know it!' 'Don't count on it. My feathers are special, and their wounds don't heal that easily.' Peter glared at the angel, but the feeling of tears falling on his leg made him turn around._

_ 'I don't want you to be hurt any more than this.' Peter saw his beloved look him in the eyes, and despite the tears rolling down her cheeks, she smiled bravely. 'At least you understand. In this case I'll seal back into the painting you came from.' 'That's fine by me, but I can neither walk nor fly anymore.' 'That'll be no problem.' As the angel said this, he walked over and picked up the woman. He could immediately feel the same weight press on him that had burdened Peter, but he was stronger. He spread his wings and flew away, carrying the woman in his arms._

_ 'No!' Peter yelled, but he couldn't do anything. 'No… God, please don't let him take her away from me…' But if God wanted to do anything about it, why would an angel, one of his servants, be the one taking her away from him? No, he couldn't depend on God. He had to save her with his own hands. Save her… But hadn't he said she would only suffer more? '… If I can't safe her, then I'll at least be there for her.' With that Peter stood up, ignoring the burning pain in his leg, and started running in the direction the angel had flown._

* * *

_ 'I'm here…' Peter huffed. He was standing in front of a large white building. He threw open the door and yelled at the top of his lungs: 'Wait right there, I'll come and find you!'_

_ The sudden noise startled the angel. 'That guy… He's so persistent.' He mumbled. But it actually wasn't all that surprising. After all, he carried that girl so far, despite the strain it must have put on his body. The angel glanced at the woman sitting in front of him. She had her head turned to the only door in the room. She had also heard him. The angel looked at the large painting hanging right behind her. It was the painting of a man holding a woman, but the image of the woman was gone, and instead there was a large, white silhouette. 'Guess I'll have to hurry up.'_

_ He was just about done with the sealing when Peter burst through the door. He didn't paid attention to the angel who was holding a feather, and neither to the glowing circle drawn on the ground. The only thing he had eyes for was his beloved. He sprinted to her, and wrapped his arms around her. '…!' The angel couldn't stop the sealing anymore, so all he could do was watch. 'Even if I can't save you, I still want to be together with you, no matter what.' Peter whispered._

_ When the sealing was done, Peter fell to the ground. The angel kneeled next to him and took his pulse. 'He's dead.' He stated. The angel looked at the painting. The woman was back where she belonged, but there was on detail that wasn't right. She had a small, white collar around her neck. That wasn't part of the painting, but probably a gift her lover had given her._

_ "Dark… Is this alright?" A 14 year old Daiki asked. 'Who knows? But would you want to try and take the collar away from her?' "… No." 'Then there's nothing much we can do about it.' As Dark said this, he walked over to the painting and lifted it from the wall. 'Guess we'll just have to put it in the basement and see what happens.' _

* * *

40 Years later:

In small cave near the beach, hidden by many rocks, a woman opened her eyes. She sat up, and her eyes automatically moved towards the small opening in the cave where sunshine was shining through. A sad smile formed on her lips, as a single tear rolled down her cheek. 'Peter… Thank you.'


	2. Feather 2

'Daisuke!' Daisuke was startled by his grandfather entering the room yelling. 'What's wrong dad?' Emiko asked. "Yeah, getting all wound up is bad for your heart." Dark commented, but of course the only one who heard him was Daisuke. 'Call Dark out, we have an emergency.' Emiko quickly took out a picture of Riku and showed it to Daisuke, causing him to transform into Dark.

'What's got you so wound up, old man?' 'The Angel's portrait! It's awakened once again!' '… What?' Dark's eyes widened in shock. 'Are you sure?' 'Yes, she's no longer in the portrait!' "Angel's portrait? What's that?" 'It's an old portrait made more than 40 years ago. I once sealed the angel from inside back in it.' "Then why are you so worked up over it being unsealed? This is not the first time such a thing has happened." 'No, but it's always been a troublesome portrait.' Dark stopped talking to Daisuke and turned to Daiki. 'I already think I know where she is.' 'Of course, under these circumstances there's only one place she'd go to.'

* * *

'It's been a long time, Peter…' The Angel's portrait mumbled. She was sitting in front of an old grave on a cliff, and she re-read the text on it for the hundredth time.

_Peter Howards._

_Died of a heart attack at the young age of 24._

_Lover of art and a good friend._

The birth and death dates were erased through time, but she didn't need to know those. 'It's been a long time, Angel's portrait. Or should I say Maria? That was the name of the person who you were meant to resemble after all.' 'Hello Dark, how long has it been?' Maria said as she stood up and turned around to the angel, smiling a sad smile. '40 Years. But even after so long, I immediately could guess where you would be.' 'Of course. After all, this is Peter's grave.'

Daisuke was confused. The woman named Maria seemed so calm, yet Dark was all tensed up. She didn't appear like a threat to him at all. 'You probably already know why I am here?' 'Of course, it is to seal me, no?' 'Correct. Now the more important question: will you come along as easily as you did all those years ago?' '… No.' Dark flinched. 'Why?' 'Peter died to save me. I will not give up this life without struggle.' 'Funny. I remember he gave up his life to be together with you, not to save you.' 'That was what I thought too, until I woke up earlier this morning.'

Daisuke got even more confused. Why did Dark seem to know her so well? And who was this Peter who had given up his life for a painting? The longer the conversation carried on, the more confused he got. 'Either way, I still have to seal you up.' The only answer Dark got was another sad smile. Suddenly a strong wind blew, and Maria spread her wings which Daisuke only noticed just then. They were a beautiful white, and it slightly reminded him of Krad's wings, only these seemed less threatening in a way.

Maria jumped of the cliff, and Dark tried his best to fight against the wind. When he finally reached the edge, he could see Maria fly away. But she was too far away for him to try and chase her. 'Damnit, she's learned how to use her wings.' He cursed. "Dark, who exactly was that girl?" 'I'll tell you once we reach home.' The wind finally died down, and Dark flew away.

* * *

'Dark?' Daisuke asked. Ever since they got home Dark had been silent. "…" 'You told me you'd explain who that girl was.' "I guess I don't have any choice but to tell you, huh? But you should ask Daiki, he probably remembers it better."

* * *

'Who The Angel's portrait is? That story finds place a long time ago, are you sure you want to hear it?' Daiki asked. 'Yes, I'm sure!' Daisuke answered. 'Well, I'd better start with her creator.'

_'40 Years ago, there was a certain artist. He was madly in love with a woman from his village, but he knew he could never be with her because she was a noble, and he was a peasant. It is said that the woman had sky blue eyes, a skin a white as snow and long waving hair that seemed as if it was made out of gold. But even though his love was impossible, the artist still loved her, and even made hundreds of paintings dedicated to her. Even after she married someone else, he kept on making paintings of her every time he wanted to see her. Eventually his house was filled with those paintings.'_

_ 'But one day the woman died of a sickness that had been plaguing her for many years. The artist, overcome with grief by the death of the woman he loved, decided to paint one more painting of her. He worked on the painting for months, barely sleeping and eating during that time. And then one day, he finally finished it. The painting was perfect. It almost seemed as if the woman was real. The artist had painted the woman he loved, lying in a man whose face was covered his arms. The only difference from the real woman was that the woman in his painting had beautiful, snow white wings to symbolize her death. The artist named the painting 'The angel Maria'; since Maria was the name of the woman he had loved. But we know it under another name: 'The Angel's portrait'.'_

_ 'After taking one final look at the painting, the artist died. In the months he had worked on the painting, he had drunk, ate and slept so little that the only reason he had lived that long was his burning desire to finish the painting. The one who inherited his mansion and all his paintings was his nephew, who was a lover of his uncle's art.'_

_ 'Around ten years later, we found the painting. It took us a long time because someone had hidden it, but we finally realized the woman from the painting was gone. When we later confronted her, the woman was already dying.'_

'Dying? Why?' 'Daisuke, you and Dark once confronted the Adonis statue, correct?' 'Yeah, but he disappeared in light.' 'That was the same thing what was happening to The Angel's portrait, but only she was dying much slower and much more painful.' 'What happened then?'

_'As I said, The Angel's portrait was dying, but we still didn't manage to seal her. The reason was the artist's nephew. Apparently, years before he had found the girl, who was The Angel's portrait, and he had fallen in love with her and The Angel's portrait returned those feelings. The Angel's portrait flew away, carrying him, and because of a trap the nephew had set we couldn't immediately go after them.'_

_ 'When we did finally caught up to them, The Angel's portrait had become so heavy because of the weight of death pressing down on her, she could neither fly nor walk. But even so, the nephew had carried her a long way, almost destroying his body because of the pain. The Angel's portrait agreed to us sealing her, because she couldn't bear to see her lover suffering anymore. Of course the man protested, but he didn't have any say in the matter. We flew of with the woman, and despite being wounded and tired, her lover followed.'_

_ 'Just when we were about done with sealing her, the nephew appeared once again, and he voluntarily let us seal him together with her. The only thing that remained of him was his dead body, and the choker he had once given her as a present had appeared on the painting. We didn't want to take the gift from her lover away from her, so we just left her like that and put the painting in the basement. That was the end of The Angel's portrait, or at least until she broke free recently.'_

'But how did she break free?' Daisuke asked. 'That we don't know, but we suspect the choker weakened our seal. But it worries me that Maria won't willingly be sealed anymore.' 'Why?' 'Because we know for a fact that she has more power than she ever showed us.' Daisuke looked in his grandfather's eyes and saw how serious he was. But he couldn't help but wonder, what was The Angel's portrait's power then?

* * *

Maria had flown around for some time, but she had suddenly started to feel so tired. She looked around and saw a large mansion. She landed on its roof. The mansion appeared to be inhabited, but she was too tired to search for another sleeping place. 'I'll just stay here for one night. It shouldn't be a problem as long as I don't show myself.' She sat down and leant against the chimney. She closed her eyes, but a cool breeze made her shiver. She wrapped her wings around herself as an improvised blanket and fell asleep, not knowing she was sleeping on the roof of the Hikari residence.

Satoshi was leaning out of his window, looking at the sky. He noticed a white feather flying in the wind, through his window and on his floor. He picked it up and shivered. The feather resembled one of Krad's. He placed it on his hand and hung out his window again. The wind took the feather and it flew away. 'If only it was that easy to get rid of Krad' he thought. He then noticed something that made his eyes widen in shock. He could see Dark flying around in the distance.

'Urk!' He folded in pain, clenching his head. 'Krad…!' He had been unprepared, and soon enough Krad took over. He climbed out of the window and flew up to the roof. 'That's Dark for sure, but what's he doing here? Oh well, I'll find out later.' Krad was just about to take of when he heard soft breathing behind him.

He turned around to see a woman sleeping against the chimney. He walked closer and saw she was abnormally beautiful. She had long waving, golden hair and a pale skin that still looked beautiful. But he found the most interesting thing about her her wings. She had wrapped them around her body like a blanket. He stood up and decided he would observe the woman more after he was done with Dark, and a smirk appeared on his face.


End file.
